1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to novel use of processed ginseng extract and the saponin compounds isolated therefrom for preventing and treating brain stroke and brain diseases in human or mammal. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel use of processed ginseng product with enhanced pharmacological effects due to serial treatment i.e., acid-treatment and subsequent bio-converting treatment such as lactic fermenting and intestinal-bacterial fermenting process.
2. Background Art
There are two types of brain strokes: (1) ischemic stroke, which occurs from an ischemic condition of brain tissue caused by intervention or decrease of blood supply to brain, and (2) hemorrhagic stroke, which results from bleeding of brain blood vessels. About 80% of total patients suffering from brain stroke suffer the former.
It has been reported that the cause of damage of brain neuronal cells include the release of excessive excitational neuronal transmitter, the production of free radicals, the inhibition of protein synthesis, an abnormal expression of gene and the activation of immune response, etc. However, a therapeutically effective agent to protect the damage of brain neuronal cells has not yet been developed.
The inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protects activity of brain neuronal cells due to the inhibition of glutamate release caused by inhibiting the reproduction of PGE2. Therefore, since many patients suffering from rheumatic disease and pains already have taken a COX-2 inhibitor, much interest has been focused on the result of their clinical investigation about the co-relation between the incidence rate of brain stroke and the population of patients having taken the drug, which may be a new target for investigating effective agents to prevent or treat brain stroke (ladecola, C. et al., PNAS., 30, pp 1294-1299, 2001).
It is known that there are many genus of Panax genus plants belonging to Araliaceae, for example, Panax ginseng distributed or cultivated in far-eastern Asia region, Panax quinquefolia in America and Canada, Panax notoginseng in China, Panax trifolia in eastern region of north America, Panax japonica in Japan, China and Nepal, Panax pseudoginseng in Nepal, Panax vietnamensis in Vietnam, Panax elegatior, Panax wangianus and Panax bipinratifidus, etc.
Hitherto, a ginseng has been widely known as a representative nutritive tonic agent.
Recently, various scientific studies on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of ginseng have been reported. Investigation of the unknown pharmacological effects is being studied with modern scientific approaches. Until now, it has been known that the ginseng has various pharmacological effects such as prevention of aging, anti-arteriosclerosis, treatment of hyperlipidemia, treatment of hepatic insufficiency, improvement of liver function, protection of radiation injury, immune enhancement, improvement of cerebral function, anti-thrombotic, anti-stress, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-tumor effects, etc.
It has been known that the main constituent of the Panax genus plant is dammarane-skeleton type saponin. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg1 and Re are the main saponins in Panax ginseng. Their biological activities are different from each other in accordance with their chemical structures.
There have been many attempts to modify the structures of the saponins to increase their pharmacological potency through processing.
Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1997-000239 issued on Jan. 21, 1997, discloses a process for preparing a processed ginseng prepared by subjecting hot temperature treatment containing high contents of ginsenoside Rg3 and Rg5 so as to obtain a processed ginseng having improved potency differing from the original form of ginseng.
Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1997-061909 issued on Sep. 12, 1997, discloses a process for the production of saponin metabolites such as compound K from ginseng saponins using intestinal-bacteria.
However, there have been no disclosure or suggestion about a process for preparing a processed Panax genus plant by serial treatment comprising acid treatment and subsequent fermentation treatment with lactic-acid bacteria or intestinal-bacteria.
The inventors of the present invention have intensively carried out the scientific investigation concerning the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of a ginseng, in particular a processing method of a ginseng and physiological activity of the processed ginseng. As a result of the investigation, the inventors have discovered that through the serial treatment of an acid treatment and a subsequent fermentation treatment of the ginseng extract with lactic-acid bacteria or intestinal-bacteria, the extract of the processed ginseng extract shows substantially enhanced pharmacological effects. In particular, the extract prevents or treats brain strokes.